Acting out of love as an ethical standard is not a discussion for ivory tower academics, it’s for all of us. We will consider what we already know of love along with the teaching of brown and black philosophers, authors, and social activists and learn to apply these principles to patient care, professional standards, and advocacy. We can adopt natural and easily attainable mindsets and ethical decision-making patterns that better protect the whole person and all people. Sometimes all we really need to do–to give respect, to do good, to avoid harm, to be genuine and open, to do justice–is to do love. There are professional boundaries to maintain fairness and autonomy, but there is also no real separation or boundary line between our professional and personal lives when it comes to moral and ethical living. We will check in to make sure we are living how we hope to in the world and let our standards be our standards all day long. Legality and morality are not the same conversation, but ethics falls somewhere in between–and this is where we confuse ourselves. Fear-based living is more complicated and less beneficial to all of us. Love-based living creates the ease of simplicity and stability and it is a proactive and positively asserted human life-force–real power. We who live courageously with our whole hearts and our whole souls are the change agents that are needed today.

Participants will learn:

• Apply love as a guiding ethical principle to daily practice habits and professional standards.
• Understand the powerful impact of simply acting from a disposition centered in love in daily practice and in society. Patients can feel the difference–we all can.
• Recognize the lessons we have internalized from the stories and narratives that we received: consider what shaped the narratives that gave us the lessons, and consider what to unlearn and what learning can take place
• Equity and Ethics: multicultural perspectives and real stories.
• Whole person care: trauma-informed care, cultural humility, advocacy, non-verbal communication

Presenters:

Rayna Strong DMD, MBE

More courses with Rayna Strong

Dr. Rayna Strong believes in our ability to positively impact lives, institutions, and the world–especially in service and advocacy for the most vulnerable and marginalized. She approaches life and her work with an open heart and a bright, tenacious spirit. She empowers people to improve their own wellbeing by carefully hearing their stories and building on the knowledge of their unique lived experience. Her current projects include innovative school based oral health care models, care for incarcerated individuals, and writing and speaking on topics related to ethics and health equity. Dr. Strong studied Biology, Urban Studies, and Theology at Wheaton College in IL. and earned her DMD & MBE(Master of Bioethics), from University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 2013.

Assistant Professor of Clinical Dentistry, PNWU School of Dental Medicine

State Dental Board Commissioner, National Board Examiner

Co-author, Behavioral Sciences in Dentistry (in progress)